Vintage wines are pricey. And vintage words, priceless. 

Celebrating that truth, lyrics took centre-stage and song numbers sparkled with nostalgia at ‘Kaarvaan Geethon Ka… Neeraj’ - an evocative event conducted just ahead of the 8th Death Anniversary of the late Padmasbhushan poet-lyricist: ‘Mahakavi Neeraj’ (19^th June, 2018).

Convened at the Rang Sharda auditorium in suburban Mumbai on 23^rd July, 2026, the nite witnessed an audience eager to savour more about the writer who bravely infused soul into his words - be it poetry, lyrics or books.  

Crafted under the aegis of Bharat Express News Network and Mahakavi Gopal Dass Neeraj Foundation Trust, the event showcased a clutch of male and female vocalists who sang Neeraj’s songs with finesse, reaffirming his merit as a lyricist who swiftly influenced listeners with his insightful words. 

If Shokhiyon me ghola jaye, Rangeela Re, and Phoolan ke rang sey from ‘Prem Pujari,’ and Khilte hain gul yahan, Kaise kahe hum, and Megha cha aye adhi raat from ‘Sharmilee’ evoked bitter sweet memories of romance, it was Aye bhai zara dekhke chalo from ‘Mera Naam Joker’ that brought out the fun-filled side of the lyricist. 

Even as Mera man tera pyaasa from ‘Gambler’ highlighted the yearning of romantic love, Jeevan ki bagiya mehekegi from ‘Tere Mere Sapne’ delighted in the thrills of a couple expecting the first addition to their family.   

Three more tunes from ‘Tere Mere Sapne’ enchanted listeners - Hey maine kasam li and Jaisey Radha ne mala japi Shyam ki deftly etched the purity of love, while Ta thai tat thai showed that the lyricist could also set words to fit a differently-crafted classical base. 

Some more unforgettable tunes followed, but one stood out in particular. Shahid Mohammed Rafi - scion of legendary singer Rafi - singing the iconic signature song of Neeraj: Kaarvaan guzar Gaya - earlier rendered to perfection by his late father. 

The number - credited as one of the longest songs composed, and spanning over six minutes - moved listeners, with Shahid admitting that he had valiantly attempted it for the very first time. 

Although Neeraj’s lyrics resonated successfully with music-duos ranging from yesteryear icons: Shankar-Jaikishan and  Laxmikant-Pyarelal to the more contemporary ones such as Nadeem-Shravan and Jatin- Lalit, it was S.D Burman, undoubtedly, who emerged as the sterling highlight of his career, with the combo creating one winner after another.   

At the nite, a posse of notables spoke of the iconoclastic writer, his thoughts and ideology, fleshing out anecdotes that detailed his life. And footage of the writer - reciting poems in his rich voice - served to heighten the impact of Neeraj’s oeuvre.    

His twin sons - Mrigank Prabhakar and Shashank Prabhakar spoke warmly of the familial side of the writer, citing examples and reading out excerpts from his poetry. 

Mrigank is a media luminary of repute, while Shashank is an international poet. Strangely, neither has ventured into writing lyrics for movies, although Mrigank readily admits that they “are up for the challenge and willing to do it, given a chance.” 

No scintilla of doubt, Neeraj’s life is ideal fodder for a biopic. Orphaned early, an impoverished childhood, struggles to establish himself as a writer, accepting odd jobs - including that of a typist, and being jailed for his firebrand manner, all point to an individual who thrashed adversity with ferocity to finally emerge a winner. 

More significantly, the failure of his first romance with a girl struck him severely. The ecstasy and the anguish of love, one that remained unconsummated, deeply influenced the flavour of his words from then on.  

Earning accolades at kavi sammelans, Neeraj went on to author upwards of 50 books of poetry and songs in a career spanning over six decades, amassing honours by the truckload. However, few are aware that initially Neeraj operated under the pseudonym of Bhavuk, but later chucked it for Neeraj on the advice of another prominent writer. 

Truly, Neeraj’s enduring influence on Hindi literature is undeniable. Over 100 M.Phil and Ph.D theses have been devoted to studying his poetry, film lyrics and literary philosophy at universities across India.  

Chief guests for the evening, Acharya Pankaj Tripathi, General Secretary of the Maharashtra unit of BJP and Shri Kripashankar Singh, Vice-President of the BJP in Maharashtra, showered lush praise on the writer. 

Singh said he refuses to address or think of Mahakavi Neeraj in past terms. “Writers like him don’t pass away, they live forever in the hearts and minds of their fans,” said Singh. Tripathi asserted that supernovas - such as Mahakavi Neeraj - can never be forgotten. “As long as there is Sahitya, Sangeet and Kala, a civilisation is safe,” he said. “We have to follow in the footsteps of great leaders and thinkers like him, so that we remain inspired in our actions.” 

Among the abiding admirers present was Upendrra Rai, patron of the Mahakavi Gopal Dass Neeraj Foundation Trust and Chairman, MD and Editor-in-Chief of the Bharat Express News Network, who nurtures a warm bond with the wordsmith’s family. 

“I’ve been in close terms with Neeraj’s family since February 2010,” he said. “Mahakavi Neeraj has penned lyrics for close to 150 songs and each one of them is a hit. Whenever I’m a little low, I only need some of his writing or songs or poems to get me out of my dull mood.”

Rai added significantly, “Every child in the world has two qualities. He or she is always happy, with or without any solid reason. Secondly, a child is always busy without even seeming to do something. Great writers are similar to children, and Mahakavi Neeraj possessed that child-like quality that endeared him to many. That’s the sign of a true genius.”

Summed up, just Rai-ght.

By Ajit Ramachanddran

Ajit Ramachanddran is a wordsmith with over two decades of experience in the field of media. He has worked in an advisory firm ( content creator, researcher ) and as a journalist across publications from ‘The New Indian Express’, ‘Sahara India Pariwar,’ ‘Lokmat’ Group, ‘Yuva’ newspaper, and other periodicals. As a staffer, he served in posts including Principal Correspondent, Copy Editor, Special Correspondent and other ace positions. Furthermore, he was also a commissioned writer for ‘The Times Of India’ publication group. Earlier on, he functioned as the Deputy Editor of an entertainment-centric website too. And to date, words earn him his bread, butter, jam, jelly, marmalade, and more.